"Get Your Tires Warmed and Ready"

REVIEW |

F1 2013 is an entirely different monster from most racing sims available. The level of detail and management that it takes to be a successful racer and run a successful team can be mind boggling, and it’s all accurately represented here in F1 2013.

Once you start your career and pick a team to race for, you’re immediately immersed in the F1 experience. Managing everything little detail about your car, the engine, the tires, the fuel and so on is vital to every race and with the game putting you in complete control of every little detail before and during a race, the experience is truly immersive. Once you’re actually in a race everything starts to come together. The AI is smart and makes intelligent passing attempts and the handling model is very realistic and usually very snappy, with the noses of the cars diving into to corners and cutting apexes perfectly. However, there were times that the car felt stiff going into some corners. I initially thought it was because my tires weren’t warmed, or I was in the wrong gear, but it ended up being a consistent issue even as I continued to race and improve.

F1 2013 doesn’t just offer you a career mode to idly blitz your way through. There’s also the F1 Classics mode that allows you revisit famous moments from F1 history. This mode comes complete with a sepia wash to really drive home the fact that you’re racing in the past. These scenario races are entertaining and challenging enough to keep you coming back as long as you’re an F1 fan.

All in all, F1 2013 is a visceral, grounded F1 sim racing game. The game is certainly geared toward F1 fans and is sure to please anyone that’s a real fan of open wheel racing.

GameDynamo's Score for F1 2013 (PC)

Graphics

The cars are amazingly detailed and pleasing to the eye, but the sepia wash in Classics mode detracts from the game's natural beauty.

Sound

The engines roaring and whining, and the sound of Pirellis when you run off the track seems as realistic as possible.

Gameplay

The cars handle very realistically but occasionally feel stiff when they shouldn't.

Play Value

F1 fans will find plenty to do in this game. The Scenario challenges entice you to come back for more, and the career is equally engaging.

Final Score 89

This is easily the best F1 sim available, and it holds promise for what we'll see in the next-gen iteration.